BRIDGEWATER – A Bridgewater-Raritan High School student was in police custody after another student reported a potential threat to a faculty member Thursday afternoon, prompting the campus’ closure today.

Bridgewater-Raritan School District Superintendent Michael Schilder said police have conducted a search of the school with bomb-sniffing dogs and will continue to canvass the high school campus for the rest of the day to rule out the possibility of any threat. No explosives or weapons had been found by late-morning.

Stephen Stirling/For The Star-LedgerBridgewater-Raritan High School is closed today.
Schilder said a student is being questioned by police in relation to the incident.

Bridgewater Raritan High School Principal James Riccobono said the vigilant action of another student helped ward off any threat to the student body.

“For years we’ve promoted the hope that students who have knowledge of any possible threat to the well being of the school, report that information to a school official. In this instance, this hope was materialized with a report from a member of the student body. This information allowed us to move forward with a swift investigation to maintain a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.”

The high school campus remained locked down by mid-morning today with patrol cars guarding the entrances.

Bridgewater-Raritan School District Superintendent Michael Schilder sent an e-mail to parents at 12:05 a.m. announcing the emergency closure, saying only that a bomb threat had been made and police were expected to conduct a thorough search of the building today.

"There is no indication that there is any threat to any other school in the district," Schilder said in the letter. "We're taking this precaution to insure the safety of all students."

Police said some students reported for class this morning, but overall word of the closure had adequately reached the student body.

The threat was the second in as many days in central New Jersey. On Thursday, police evacuated John F. Kennedy Elementary School in South Plainfield after someone placed a call to the school claiming a bomb had been placed in the building.

Police searched the building but found no evidence of explosives on the property.

All other Bridgewater-Raritan schools will remain open today. The high school campus will reopen Saturday for all planned activities. Schilder said a make up-day would be scheduled at a later date.